Why does the baby regurgitate after breastfeeding?

When a newborn baby appears in a family, new questions immediately appear in the family. In particular, moms and dads, especially those who have just met their new role, do not know how to properly treat an infant and are frightened of any symptoms that may indicate that they have serious ailments.

One of such signs is regurgitation. This phenomenon occurs in almost every child, who was born only recently, and usually represents part of the natural physiological process. Meanwhile, this is not always the case. In this article we will tell you why a newborn baby regurgitates after breastfeeding, and how to distinguish the norm from an existing disorder.

Why does the infant regurgitate after breastfeeding?

The main reasons that can explain the occurrence of regurgitation after feeding include the following:

1. Ingestion during air-feeding. In this case, the air bubbles that penetrated the baby's stomach with breast milk go out together with the remains of food, which is a characteristic phenomenon. This happens when the baby incorrectly grasps the nipple of the mother's breast, and also eats too much and often. To avoid this problem, a young mother should consult a breastfeeding specialist who will teach her how to properly feed her baby and tell her in which position to do it most conveniently. In addition, it is useful to make small pauses during feeding, which will help the food to digest better.
2. Another reason why a baby spits after breastfeeding is a banal overeating. Such a problem is more common in pediatric children, but in some cases mothers of infants may also face it. To solve it, you need to adjust the frequency and volume of feeds.
3. In some cases, regurgitation is associated with increased formation of gases in a newborn baby. In such a situation, the food moves much slower towards the intestine, and as a result, its residues are ejected through the mouth opening. Reduce manifestations of flatulence can be with the help of a tummy massage, drugs from the category of simethicone, for example, Espumizan, or broths based on fennel or dill. In addition, for better separation of gases it is recommended to spread the crumb on the tummy before and after each feeding.

In addition, regurgitation after feeding can cause congenital disorders of the digestive tract, namely:

• underdevelopment of the lower esophageal sphincter;
• excessive narrowing of the area where the stomach passes into the duodenum;
• abnormal narrowing of the esophagus at the point of its passage into the stomach;
• hernia of diaphragm.

In the presence of one of these diseases, you can correct the situation only after prolonged medical or surgical treatment under the supervision of an experienced doctor.

In any case, it should be understood that regurgitation in a newborn baby is in most cases a variant of the norm. Even if such a situation is observed after each meal, it does not mean that something is wrong with the child. If the volume of returned milk is more than 3 tablespoons, and the process of regurgitation is more like a vomiting fountain, parents will have to consult a doctor.

Most likely, the reason for this phenomenon lies in the following:

• viral infection;
• food poisoning;
• individual lactose intolerance;
• an allergic reaction to one of the foods that the nursing mother used;
• intestinal dysbiosis;
• intestinal obstruction.

All these phenomena require the obligatory supervision of a doctor, so do not ignore unpleasant symptoms.